lidl plants & compost etc

stilernin

Lotus-eater wrote: »

but I very much doubt it was the fault of the seeds that they failed to germinate, the fault was almost without doubt yours, or maybe the composts.

I disagree with this somewhat; seeds have to be kept relatively cool to stay viable.

Recently, I visited a very expensive garden centre and all of their displays of seeds were under a glass roof. It was quite a sunny day and the packets of seeds were positively hot. There is no way I would buy any from there.

Seeds are a living thing and good management is key to the outcome.

Lotus-eater

stilernin wrote: »

I disagree with this somewhat; seeds have to be kept relatively cool to stay viable.

Recently, I visited a very expensive garden centre and all of their displays of seeds were under a glass roof. It was quite a sunny day and the packets of seeds were positively hot. There is no way I would buy any from there.

Seeds are a living thing and good management is key to the outcome.

Well yes and I agree with you as well to a certain extent. I have no figures for the germination of seeds and temperatures.
But I know personally and 2nd hand, the conditions seeds can be kept in and still some be viable.

Also I hear time and time again that a load of seeds failed, when I see or hear how they have been done, (almost) every single time, a mistake has been made, or the compost has been at fault.

Take this year, I sowed 2 different lots of french beans, one lot completely rotted, one lot every one grew, same everything, day, compost, trays, water, warmth.
So what do you think, dodgy seeds? No, one lot were black seeds and one lot white, the white rotted because the compost was too wet. I learnt something, black bean seeds can either take, or like much wetter conditions than white.
Easy to blame the seed company, harder to blame yourself.

stilernin

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Well yes and I agree with you as well to a certain extent. I have no figures for the germination of seeds and temperatures.
But I know personally and 2nd hand, the conditions seeds can be kept in and still some be viable.

Also I hear time and time again that a load of seeds failed, when I see or hear how they have been done, (almost) every single time, a mistake has been made, or the compost has been at fault.

Take this year, I sowed 2 different lots of french beans, one lot completely rotted, one lot every one grew, same everything, day, compost, trays, water, warmth.
So what do you think, dodgy seeds? No, one lot were black seeds and one lot white, the white rotted because the compost was too wet. I learnt something, black bean seeds can either take, or like much wetter conditions than white.
Easy to blame the seed company, harder to blame yourself.

I blame myself all the time :rotfl::rotfl: and have had beans rot this year because I was convinced the compost needed water:(

I mentioned the retailer's (and gardener's) management of the seeds for the purpose of balance to your post. New gardeners might get a complex.

With regards to your bean experiment: same compost, same everything etc but they were different beans. A flawed experiment m'thinks.

myrtleturtle

hi
i have bought a redcurrant and blueberry bush from lidls. your post answers my first question about fruiting but was wondering i have mine in large pots ,do they need any special care in winter/colder weather
thanks

cjb02 wrote: »

they are great. I have had fruit bushes from them before and they always grow, they come as sticks and in that season do nothing but the following season they go great guns. I have just bought a blackcurrant from them. Had gooseberry bushes from there before

a piccy here on my blog from yesterday (it came bare rooted). Also had compost from there and it is fine imo

Lotus-eater

stilernin wrote: »

With regards to your bean experiment: same compost, same everything etc but they were different beans. A flawed experiment m'thinks.

How can you have an experiment with the same types of beans :rotfl: it's hardly an experiment then.

Anyway, it wasn't an experiment, it was planting and afterwards I found out that I was right, black beans are better at dealing with wetter conditions.

New gardeners can get all the complexes they like, but if I was doing something wrong, I'd want someone to tell me, not I was doing great and if I did the same thing next year everything was going to be fine.

stilernin

Lotus-eater wrote: »

How can you have an experiment with the same types of beans :rotfl: it's hardly an experiment then.

Anyway, it wasn't an experiment, it was planting and afterwards I found out that I was right, black beans are better at dealing with wetter conditions.

New gardeners can get all the complexes they like, but if I was doing something wrong, I'd want someone to tell me, not I was doing great and if I did the same thing next year everything was going to be fine.

Doh.... I see what you are saying. I think where I was coming from was that by doing everything the same you were arguing that the problems lay with the growing conditions (ie black tolerating wetter conditions). I still had my head in 'seeds could have been stored differently' mode. S'pose, in truth, it could have been either.

Giving new gardeners complexes? On first reading of your post you appeared so certain that the problem was gardener or compost, not seed. Which is why I threw in the other option for balance. By answering questions on forums, it is always hard to know for sure.

By the way, the French beans that rotted on me were black ones. In the NE it has been so cool that no self respecting bean was going to germinate readily, and I just knew that I shouldn't have watered the compost, but it was just too late . I've now got some white ones chitted and have sown them in large modules. Hopefully by not compressing the compost, or watering it!,they will be OK. Watch this space.

Grey, damp and drizzle outside, again, will summer ever arrive?

Lotus-eater

stilernin wrote: »

Giving new gardeners complexes? On first reading of your post you appeared so certain that the problem was gardener or compost, not seed. Which is why I threw in the other option for balance. By answering questions on forums, it is always hard to know for sure.

Well it was you that mentioned complexes not me.
I stick by what I said, I think that when seeds fail to germinate, most of the time it is the gardeners fault. Whether that's mine, or someone elses. You think not, so we'll agree to disagree.

Kay_Peel

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iainsmum

Hi, Can only comment on seeds which I bought from Lidl, packet of 60+ french bean seeds, planted 6, all came up really quickly, have 2 out in the garden and 4 in pots in the mini greenhouse, will see how they fair, but pleased so far. At this rate though, I'll still be using the same packet of seeds in 2020!